Antoine Marie Roger de Saint-Exupery was a rare combination: a man of action who was also a man of thought. A professional aviator and a skilled writer, Saint-Exupery is the author of some of the most highly regarded commentary on flying ever written. Born into an aristocratic family (he could trace his family name back to the fourth century) in Lyons, France, on June 19, 1900, Saint-Exupery had one younger brother and three sisters. His family was not, however, rich; the death of his father in 1904 left the family in need of money. His maternal grandmother helped support the family, making it possible for Saint-Exupery's sister to establish a home where SaintExupery often visited at Agay in the south of France.

The most important event in SaintExupery's youth was his rebellion against the strictness of his Catholic upbringing. He respected a disciplined The Little Prince, 1943 Letter...